2018: David Marriott, COO Eastern Region - The Americas, Marriott International

2017: Frits van Paasschen, author, and former CEO of Starwood Hotels and Resorts

2016: Danny Meyer, chief executive officer, Union Square Hospitality Group and founder, Shake Shack

2015: Evan Frank, co-founder and vice president, Americas, onefinestay; and Steve Haggerty, global head of capital strategy, franchising, and select service, Hyatt Corporation

2013: Dr. Richard Born, founder, and president, BD Hotels; Alex Calderwood, co-founder, Ace Hotel Group; Sean MacPherson, hotelier; and Ed Scheetz, chief executive officer, King & Grove

2012: Glyn F. Aeppel, president and chief executive officer, Glencove Capital; Brooke Denihan Barrett, co-chief executive officer, Denihan Hospitality Group; Anne R. Lloyd-Jones, managing director, HVS; Karen E. Rubin, SVP global development policy and feasibility, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

2011: Randell A. Smith, chairman, and founder, Smith Travel Research (STR)

2010: Jason Pomeranc, co-owner, Thompson Hotels

2009: Kathleen Dauber, principal, and Thomas Johnson, director of marketing and business development, HBA / Hirsch Bedner Associates Design Consultants

2008: Daniel R. Flannery, vice president, and area general manager, The Ritz Carlton Hotels of New York and Boston

2007: Eric O. Long, general manager, Waldorf=Astoria & Waldorf Towers; Offer Nissenbaum, managing director, Peninsula Beverly Hills; Dominique Piquemal, managing director, The LONDON NYC; Mary Lou Pollack, general manager, The Alex

2006: Steven A. Rudnitsky, president and chief executive officer, Wyndham Hotel Group

2005: Laurence Geller, president, and chief executive officer, Strategic Hotels & Resorts

2004: Stephen Rushmore, president, and founder, HVS International

2003: Stanley Turkel, hotel consultant; Vijay Dandapani, chief operating officer, Apple Core Hotels; Anil R. Patel, president, Northstar Management Group; Dinubhai D. Patel, owner-operator, Advanced Motel; Fred Schwartz, president, AAHOA; Alan L.Tallis, executive vice president-chief development officer, La Quinta Inns

2002: Richard M. Born, principal, BD Hotels

2001: Laurence S. Geller, chief executive officer, Strategic Hotel Capital

2000: Richard Miller, vice president, research, World Travel & Tourism Council

1999: Eric O. Long, general manager, The Waldorf-Astoria

1998: Jonathan M. Tisch, president, and chief executive officer, Loews Hotels

1997: J.T. Kuhlman, chief operating officer, Inter-Continental Hotels and Resorts; Stephen Rushmore, president, HVS International; William R.Tiefel, president, Marriott Lodging; Jeff Weinstein, editor-in-chief, Hotels Magazine

1996: Daniel P. Weadock, president and chief executive officer, ITT Sheraton Corporation

1995: Michael A. Leven, president, and chief operating officer, Holiday Inn Worldwide

1994: James Gaffigan, vice president of government affairs, AH&MA

2019: Kurt Ekert, President and CEO, CWT

2018: Frank Del Rio, President, and CEO, Norwegian Cruiselines

2017: Katie Denis, senior director, Project: Time Off with panelists Christopher Heywood, senior vice president, global communications, NYC & Company; Katie McBreen, vice president of communications and public affairs, National Retail Federation; and Mike Murphy, former senior vice president of upscale brands, Choice Hotels International

2016: Jonathan M. Tisch, chairman and CEO, Loews Hotels; and co-chairman of the board and member of the office of the president, Loews Corporation

2014: Anna Clark, communications associate, Media Outreach, Rainforest Alliance; James MacGregor, president, Ecoplannet; Eric Ricaurte, founder and chief executive officer, Greenview; Louis Twining-Ward, president, Sustainable Travel International; and Pegi Vail, associate director, Center for Media, Culture and History, New York University

2013: Gary Loveman, chairman, chief executive officer, and president, Caesars Entertainment Corporation

2012: From NYC & Company: George Fertitta, chief executive officer;  Kelly Curtin, senior vice president, membership and destination services; Makiko Matsuda Healy, vice president, tourism development;  Jane Reiss, executive vice president, and chief marketing officer; Willy Wong, senior vice president, chief creative officer

2011: Raymond N. Bickson, managing director and chief executive officer, Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces

2010: Howard Givner, founder, Paint the Town Red; David Adler, chief executive officer and founder, BizBash Media; Karen Dalzell, president, and founder, Dalzell Productions/DalzellGreen; Mary Wittenberg, president, and chief executive officer, New York Road Runners; race director, ING New York City Marathon

2009: Michelle Morgan, president, Signature Travel Network; Gary Murphy, president, Brendan Worldwide Vacations

2008: Henry H. Harteveldt, vice president and principal analyst, Forrester Research

2007: Dawn Drew, vice president, and publisher, National Geographic Traveler

2006: Roger J. Dow, president, and chief executive officer, TIA

2005: Terry L. Dale, president, and chief executive officer, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)

2004: Cristyne L. Nicholas, president, and chief executive officer, NYC & Company

2003: David Neeleman, chief executive officer, Jet Blue Airways Corporation